Diaphragm for locomotives



P 27, 1932- N. P. CLATTERBUCK 1,379,094

DIAPHRAGM FOR LOCOMOTI VES Filed April 22. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mmzklfidhityac P 1932- N. P. CLATTERBUCK ,3

DIAPHRAGM FOR LOCOMOTI VES Filed April 22, 19:51 a Sheets-Sheet 2 gym mante jfimezfiakwjws attommq q Sept. 27, 1932. N P. CLATTERBUCK 1,879,094

DIAPHRAGM FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 22, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 27, 1932 .UNITE STATES NATHANIEL P. CLATTERBUCK, OF DOBIBS FERRY, NEW YORK DIAPHRAGM FOR LOCOMOTIVES Application filed April 22,

This invention relates to certain improvements in the front end construction of locomotives and more particularly to the construction of the diaphragm constituting the rear wall of the smoke box and the construction and arrangement of the spark arrester screen between the exhaust nozzle and the petticoat pipe of the stack, the principal objects of the invention being to provide better facilities for maintaining the desired temperature of the steam supply pipes, to increase the heating effect of the hot water heater'and its connected piping located in the smoke box, and to render access to the superheater units and other parts of the 10- comotive to the rear of the diaphragm possible at a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is sectional side elevation of the front end of a standard locomotive involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section immediately in front of the stack.

7 Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial section on line -i of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the left hand portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view .of the sparkarrester screen associated with the exhaust pot and the extension of the stack.

35 Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the preferred form of key bolt employed for securing certain of the elements together.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the shell of the boiler and 2 the smoke box or front section of the boiler shell, which, in engines of this general type, is separated from the portion of the boiler containing the front tube sheet and superheater units by a diaphragm bolted to the inner wall of the boiler shell and extending to a point above the bot tom of the shell to provide a draft opening connecting the smoke box with the main section of the boiler, said diaphragm usually being associated with an inclined deflector plate, which serves to direct the products of com- 1931. Serial No. 532,079.

bustion through said draft opening into the smoke box. It has been customary to form this diaphragm in removable sections which are bolted to the shell of the boiler, so that, in order to gain access to the superheater units and other parts of the boiler to the rear of the smoke box, it was necessary to remove the diaphragm and the deflector plate, the operation requiring the expenditure of much time and labor to remove and replace these elements.

The engine is provided with the usual stack 3 having an inner extension or petticoat pipe secured to the upper stack section by the usual bolts. Welded to the lower flange of the petticoat pipe is a ring 7 and also welded. to a flange surrounding the upper part of the exhaust pot is a ring 6, the rings 6 and 7 serving as means for securingthe spark arrester netting or screen 8, i which is preferably formed as an inverted truncated cone comprising two sections of the netting connected together by brackets 9, 9 and key bolts 10, the

basket-like screen being detachably connected to the rings 6 and 7 by means of bolts 8.

This construction and arrangement of the spark arrester involves a decided saving in materials, dispenses with the usual table applied to the exhaust pot for supporting the spark arrester netting or screen, renders the screen readily removable, thereby saving time and labor, and occupies a relatively small space in the smoke box, so that the products of combustion enteringthe smoke box will have free access to the steam pipes leading to the cylinders and also tothe hot water tank and piping connected therewith usually employed in this type of engines.

The diaphragm is constructed and arranged toprovide a maximumheating space for the superheater units and, to this end, is disposed in a substantially verticalplane between the smoke box and the main section of the boiler. The diaphragm comprises a stationary top sheet 11, which isriveted to an angle iron 1 fast to the inner wall of the boiler. she'll, through which top plate the steam supply pipes pass. Bolted to the front face and lowextends oversuch lower edge and afiords an abutment and securing means for the removable elements of the diaphragm. A second strip 13 is riveted to the angle iron 1' and forms the bottom section of the diaphragm and constitutes the bottom abutment for the movable members of the diaphragm. Between the spaced strips 12 and 13 are side plates 14, 14, which are likewise riveted to the angle iron 1.

Connected to the vertical edges of the side plates 14 by hinges 16 are doors 15, 15 adapted to swing inwardly or to be locked to the strlps 12 and 13 by means of key bolts passed through registering openings in the abutting edges of the doors and the strips, as'clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The doors 15, 15 only partly span the space between the side plates 14, 14 and the opening between the inner edges of the doors is closed bv a' filler plate 18, to the vertical edges of which are riveted strips 21, 21, which are adapted to be locked to the adjacent edges of the doors by key bolts, the strips serving, not only to rigidly connect the doors and the filler plate, but also as covers for the joints between the edges of the doors and the filler plate. The upper and lower edges of the filler plate abut the inner faces of strips 12 and 13 and are locked thereto by bolts. For the purpose of sealing the joints between the doors 15, 15 and the side plates 14,14, cover strips 20 are riveted to the vertical edges of the doors and overlap the adjacent edges of the side plates 14, when the doors are closed. Prcferably,tlie doors 15 are each provided with a handle 17 to permit the doors to be swung to open and closed position and the filler plate is provided with two handles 19, 19 by means of which said filler plate may be readily adjusted to position and held while being connected to the upper and lower strips 12 and 13 and to the adjacent edges of the doors 15, 15. 1

The draft opening between the lower edge of the diaphragm and the boiler shell is provided with a screen or netting 22, which may be secured to the angle iron 1, and also to the bottom strip 13 by bolts. The purpose of this screen is to arrest the larger elements of the ashes and cinders to prevent the latter entering the smoke box.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that access to the section of the boiler containing the superheaters and other elements may be had by merely casting loose the.

few bolts which hold the doors and the intermediate filler plate to the transverse strips 12 and 13 and then swinging the doors backward. l/Vhen both doors are opened and the filler plate removed, a relatively large space will be provided, so that any of the elements of the boiler tothe rear of the diaphragm may be readily reached for adjustment, repair or removal and, while this particular construction of diaphragm enables free accessto the section ofthe boiler back of the smoke box with a minimum expenditure of time and labor, the time required for opening up the doors and removing the filler plate being only a fraction of that required to remove the diaphragm and associated deflector plate heretofore employed, the diaphragm, as a whole, is effectively sealed against the leakage of combustion gases therethrough and against the passage of dust and cinders.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A diaphragm for locomotives, comprising a stationary top plate, stationary side plates, .doors hinged for inward movement to the inner edges of the side plates and partly spanning the space between the side plates, a filler plate extending between the inner edges of the doors and bolted to said edges, and means for securing the diaphragm to the locomotive boiler shell adjacent the stack.

2. A diaphragm for locomotives, comprising a stationary top plate, a transverse strip bolted to and projecting below the lower edge of said plate, stationary sideplates, door-s hinged for inward movement to the inner edges of the side plates and partly spanning the space between the side plates, a filler plate extending between the inner edges of the doors and bolted to said edges, a second transverse strip overlapping the lower edges of the doors and filler plate, and means for securing the diaphragmto the locomotive boiler shell adjacent the stack. 3. A diaphragm for locomotives, comprismg a stationary top plate, a transverse strip bolted to and projecting below the lower edge of said plate, stationary side plates, doors hinged for inward movement to the inner edges of the side plates and partly spanning the space between the side plates, a filler plate, extending between the inneredges of the doors and bolted to said edges, a second transverse strip overlapping the lower edges of the doors and filler plate, cover strips overlying-the abutting edges of the doors and the side plates, other cover strips overlying the joints between the doors and the filler plate fastened to the edges of the filler plate and detachably secured tothe edges of the doors, and means for securing the diaphragm to the locomotive boiler shell adjacent the stack.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

NATHANIEL P. CLATTERBUCK. 

